Zoya Naked Manicure Women's Starter Kit Review ♡

Zoya released a new line of polishes at the beginning of this month called Naked Manicure. Being someone who struggles with flaky, weak, thin nails, I was immediately intrigued and decided to purchase it. I originally set out to pick up the Women's Starter Kit in store at Ulta, however Ulta doesn't supply the kits and instead sells the polishes individually which is, unfortunately, much pricier. I ordered the kit through Zoya's website (linked earlier) and received it quickly. It comes with the Naked Base ($12), the Pink Perfector ($10), the Tip Perfector ($10), and the Satin Seal Top Coat ($12), a $44 value, for $25 total. My package also came with a pamphlet full of information about the polishes, before and after pictures, descriptions of the ranges, and color combination charts for canceling out tainted nail colors.

I wish my nails were strong and healthy (like my dad's!) but since they're not I have to do what I can to keep them presentable. I mainly struggle with flaking, however I am growing out some stubborn staining from a polish I used a while back. I did use a baking soda and lemon juice soak on my nails to lighten it and it definitely helped remove some slightly orange discoloration from the tips.

The first step is to apply Naked Base, a thin, clear, base coat that helps prep for the polishes and begins to mask the look of layers of nail on the tips of my nails. Pink Perfector is next which is a translucent rosy pink that helps correct discoloration and camouflages flakes. The Tip Perfector is a relatively opaque creamy white polish that is applied to tips to brighten and accent them. I read a lot of people's comments on Zoya's Facebook about how it's too opaque for nails to look natural, however I like to apply a second coat of Pink Perfector after using it to blur the tips before applying the Satin Seal Top Coat. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the top coat, but it's a gorgeous mostly matte finish which also blurs imperfections and really gives a natural appearance.

The wear, unfortunately, is not as long as I would like. With my nails I would say I can get maybe four days. I want to try it out with a bonding base coat and see if that increases its wear time! My friend wore it for over a week on her strong, long nails and it looked amazing the whole time.

Overall, I really like these products and I'm going to repurchase them when I run out!

Have any of you tried any other colors of perfector or Naked Manicure in general? What do you think?
Thanks for reading! xo

May Julep Unboxing ♡

Julep recently released brow products and I felt obligated to try one out since I'm a brows girl now. I bought the "lock down your brows" Iconic Brow Gel and two nail polishes: Becca and Denise.

| Boho Glam- Becca | $14.00, $11.20 Maven
I picked Becca since I don't own a whole lot of green-based nail polishes. I own more than enough mint/teal colors, but I only have one true green, Essie First Timer, which turns too yellow with my Seche Vite top coat. This color isn't necessarily a "true" green; it does have very small blue shimmer. It kind of reminds me of Ariel's fin which is absolutely exciting for me.

| Bombshell- Denise | $14.00, $11.20 Maven
I don't have a color even close to this electric purple. It's so gorgeous and bright! The swatch picture at the top of this post demonstrates that it turns matte when dry which makes it easy to see when I can apply the next coat.

| Lock Down Your Brows Iconic Brow Gel | $22.00, $17.60 Maven
I've been using my It Cosmetics Brow Power pencil for months now and I'm so in love with it! I, however, have pretty long brow hairs that are necessary for any kind of shape so I have to hold them down. For years I've just used a clear mascara but it wears off quickly so I hoped an actual brow gel would do a better job. I've used this several times and I really like it so far! The brush is very small (think Benefit's Gimme Brow) and is great for accuracy.

Totals:
Full-price: $50
Maven: $40

And there's my little unboxing! Unfortunately I couldn't find Becca and Denise on Julep's website but I'm sure they'll be available soon! I'm sorry this post is a bit late; I've been so busy getting ready to graduate high school! If you want more unboxings, I've written a post on April, March, February, January, December, October, August, and July.

March Julep Maven Unboxing ♡

It's Julep unboxing time again! These are some of my favorite posts to write especially since I love me some nail polish. This month I picked out Ali (Boho Glam) and Janet (It Girl) as my main box additions and Harmony (It Girl) as my add-on since I couldn't pass up anything holographic.

| Ali- Boho Glam | $14 ($11.20 Maven)
Ali is a light pastel mint/seafoam with a semi-silk finish. The finish doesn't mean much to me since I always use my Seche Vite top coat, but it does dry to a really nice texture. It looks more minty when it's alone, however it's brighter and more green than any of the other mints I own. The swatch color is the most accurate, however it makes Shelly look almost grey. True-to-color swatches for it are in my January unboxing.

| Janet- It Girl | $14 ($11.20 Maven)

This was the first polish I added to my box for March because who doesn't love peach everything?? I don't have any peach nail polishes, which I'm slightly alarmed with now, and this color is perfect. It's a very soft peach that also has the "soft focus" effect when it's dry. It's a lot lighter than Phyllis, another color from January, that I would've also put in the soft pink family. The difference between the two isn't quite as noticeable, I think the swatch is a little too dramatic. Does "Janet" automatically remind anyone else of the Rocky Horror Picture Show? That's probably part of the reason I love this polish so much.

| Harmony- It Girl | $14 ($11.20 Maven)

I almost didn't pick this one up since I already have Sally Hansen's Pearly Whites, which I thought was similar, but I'm so glad I went for Harmony. It's described as "holographic jagged-cut glitter" which is accurate. One of the main differences between Harmony and Pearly Whites is the color of the glitter. The latter's seems to have some pigmentation and small, circular flecks while Harmony's glitter is completely transparent. I love the way it looks over both Janet and Ali.

Totals:

Non-Maven: $42 

Maven: $33.60 

Those are my three beauts from the Pop collection! I'm slightly disappointed, however. I just noticed Ming was also available for March and it's a jelly so I'm hoping I can add it on for April!

If you'd like to take a shot with Julep's customizable nail polish and makeup subscription, use this link and the promo code "SPRING" to get a metallic, coral, and light pink nail polish with a bonus lip gloss all for free! You can cancel any time so there's no risk of being trapped. 

If you want to read any of my other unboxings, I've also written one for July, August, October, December, January, and February! 

Thanks for reading! xo Hannah

January Julep Maven Unboxing ♡

I was very excited about this month's box when I found out that I could get a free "metamorphic top coat." I didn't know what the heck it was but I wanted it. I also picked out the It Girl nail polish "Shelly," Classic With a Twist polish "Phyllis," the Bare Face Cleansing Oil, and the Orbital eyeshadow "Borealis" as an add-on.This post is quite picture heavy (especially of Bjork) so let me know if it's overkill or if you wrists get tired from scrolling.

| Shelly | $11.20 Maven ($14 full price)

Described as a "wintermint creme," this is a slightly dusty mint, especially in comparison to Essie's Mint Candy Apple. I love that it's a little more muted but still bright. Unfortunately that was very hard to photograph, but the side-by-side bottle comparison is most accurate. This was actually a birthday present for my best friend's mom, Shelly, and she was very excited. I have to admit, however, that I'm a little sad that I'm not keeping it for myself!

| Phyllis | $11.20 Maven ($14 full price)

Julep calls this a "soft petal pink creme." It's definitely a soft pink, and, similar to Shelly, it's a little dustier than most of my pink nail polishes which the pictures don't particularly express. The color in the bottle is the most accurate! It's sort of a vintage-y color to me, which I love.

| Bare Face Cleansing Oil | $22.40 Maven ($28.00 full price)

I went a little out of the box with this pick (pun intended) but I tried this once at my sister's and I was totally hooked. First of all, the packaging is perfect as usual. I don't know who designs Julep's packaging, but they know how to do it. I love the pump since it's adorable but specifically because it feels very high quality. The plastic of the pump (and bottle) aren't thin whatsoever and the pump has resistance and isn't chintzy. Although this leaked during shipping, the lid is airtight so it all stayed contained. The smell has an ever-so-slight hint of citrus. I'm anticipating doing a full review of this later!

| Bjork Metamorphic Top Coat | not on the site yet, but likely $11.20 Maven and $14 full price!

This was actually a free bonus! Amelia texted me last month and told me about a magical offer for a free top coat. Obviously I snatched it up immediately, no questions asked. Bjork is a frosty top coat (similar to the Silk Effect top coat from my December unboxing) but shimmers blue, teal, hot pink, orange, and purple. So dang pretty! I'm hoping it's shown accurately in the million pictures I took of it.

| Borealis Orbital Eyeshadow | $14.40 Maven ($18 full price)

My mom picked this eyeshadow out for herself as an add-on and it is so gorgeous. The base is a deep, warm grey but it has a purple, green, and blue microshimmer. The site says it's a "charcoal with peacock pearlescence" which is absolutely spot on.

Totals: (excluding Borealis)

Maven total: $56

Full-price total: $70

That's everything I picked out! I've already worn Bjork twice and Phyllis once.

Do you like the totals at the bottom? I always see people do them with Birchbox (which I previously subscribed to) and I think they're interesting!
Here are my unboxings for December, October, August, and July.

If you want to sign up for Julep, here's a link. Use the friend code provided to get a free red carpet box with three polishes and a liner!

Thank for reading!

xo

December Julep Maven Unboxing ♡

I got my December Julep box in the mail on Monday and I think it was my most anticipated box yet.

First of all, the December collection killed it. Not only were all of the polishes gorgeous, they also released an eyeshadow palette (which I think was limited edition) and some amazing orbital eyeshadow singles. I didn't end up getting any eyeshadows (my sister did! Here's her unboxing), however, but I did get three polishes and some dainty decals. I've linked each header to the Julep website if you want to buy them!

| Nell | $14.00, $11.20 Maven

It's described on Julep's website as "blushing holographic full coverage glitter," which made me immediately add it to my box. I automatically gravitate towards anything holographic, probably since I was obsessed with it as a little girl in the 90s, but I'd never seen a pink glitter like this. The photographs on the website don't do it much justice since the dimension and multicolor glitter is lost. I would say it could definitely be a full coverage glitter, especially with several coats, as you can see in the picture below. I'm imagining it as an accent or french tip on pink nails and completely swooning.

| Gold Decals |

I chose these because they're so cute and holiday-feeling. These would look amazing with Nell as a french tip as well, or simply on some red nail polish. I love Julep's decals since they're sturdy but so pretty. I got some black cats back in October. Plus, they also aren't the nail polish kind so you can open them and use them forever!

| Silk Effect Top Coat | $14.00, $11.20 Maven

I was so thrilled to see this as an option for this month. I've never used anything like it, but after seeing the amazing swatches online (check them out, you can see it way better), I knew I had to snatch it up. I can especially see this over a pale blue or pink or red for the holidays or literally any nail polish because it's so pretty! I tried to swatch it over a red in the shot below but it doesn't show up well on my camera.

 

| Rochelle | $14.00, $11.20 Maven

This is actually a present for my mom (who better not be reading this! I warned you) because she saw it online when I was selecting my picks and thought it was stunning. Julep describes it as a "boysenberry shimmer" and I think that's spot on. I never would've picked this myself since I'm a cream polish gal, but it's an amazing winter color!

How amazing are these polishes?! There's a gorgeous cobalt blue nail color called Paula with gold microshimmer that I would have loved to get but I already felt silly getting three other colors. If you'd like to read up on the eyeshadows they offer now, Miss Amelia Joy will be posting her unboxing soon!

If you want to sign up, here's my link. Use the code FROSTY to get a $58 box with three nail polishes and a liner for free!

Do you have Maven? How do you like Julep's products?

P.S. CHRISTMAS IS IN A WEEK!

Thanks for reading! xo

Autumn Pumpkin Nail Tutorial ♡

Although it's now November, there's still almost this whole month of fall/autumn decorations! I love seasonal nails since I love seasons in general so when I recently did a pumpkin accent nail I figured I should make a post about it! If you've been following my blog, I did a Watermelon Nail DIY back in August. Many of you really liked that one as well as my DIY Floral Nails which was actually my first blog post. 

Anyway, I think these would be so cute for Thanksgiving which is approaching fast. Woohoo!

| You Will Need: |

1. Base coat (Orly Bonder)
2. Natural wood toothpicks
3. White polish (Julep Dana)
4. Orange/coral polish (Essie Tart Deco)
5. Red/dark orange polish (Essie Meet Me at Sunset)
6. Green/teal polish (Essie Naughty Nautical)
7. Top coat (Seche Vite)

| Steps |

1. Begin by coating your nails with a base coat to encourage lasting nail polish.
2. Apply two coats of your white nail polish to all but your index finger (or other chosen nail).
3. Apply two coats to your index finger of your orange/coral. (step 1)
4. On your accent nail/ring fingers, create a semi-circle on the end of your nails, reaching about 1/3 of the way up your nail. This will be your pumpkin. (step 2)
5. On a piece of paper or index card put a large drop of red polish. Using a toothpick, thinly outline your pumpkin. Also place a line directly down the center of it, then one curved line on either side of it. So three-dimensional. (step 3)
6. On the same piece of paper, put a large drop of teal. Using a toothpick again, apply a dot of it on the top center of the pumpkin, allowing the bottom of the dot to slightly go into the pumpkin. Extend this line up and to the left or right to create a loop. Curve the line down to the opposite side and have it jut into the pumpkin again. Where the curve begins to straighten out, attach a line to make a loop and bring it up to nearly the bottom of your nail to complete the adorable vine. (step 4)
7. Wait for it to dry completely and apply a top coat.

Explaining it sounds more complicated than it is but it will take some practice. Since it's simpler, you could just make the pumpkin stem (actually called a peduncle) short and stubby instead of creating a vine.
If ya'll have any requests for nail tutorials let me know!
Thanks for reading! xo

October Julep Maven Unboxing ♡

I got my October Julep box recently and I'm so excited! I absolutely adore every bit of it. I picked out Estelle, Dana, cat decals, and as an add-on I chose white chevrons. This box was $24.99 and the add-on was only supposed to be a few dollars but I redeemed some of my points. I decided to take these shots in the leaves since I love fall and it makes them feel more festive. The leaves are actually why the reflective sticker looks gold-colored instead of being silver like it usually is. Yay for pretty trees and let's get into it!

| White Chevron Nail Decals |

I haven't gotten any decals from Julep before so I wasn't sure what to expect. I really love these! I'm thrilled to use them for an accent nail. They are definitely a little raised so I'm not sure if I'll be able to get a top coat to smooth it out or not.

| Black Cat Nail Decals |

These are absolutely adorable! They're pretty small and neither these or the chevrons have a clear border around them or anything. They're actual stickers which is nice since the ones made out of nail polish can't really be resealed. I'll be sure to Instagram pictures (@hannahvanhoozle) of both nail decals when I use them!

It looks like these aren't being sold on Julep's website yet so I'll try to link these when I can.

  

 

| Julep Estelle | $11.20 (Maven price)

I'm obsessed. This is a black nail polish with lovely holographic glitter and small, black glitter as well. I love anything holographic so naturally I was drawn to this and couldn't handle waiting for it to come. This is more sheer than I expected, but I used it the other day (you can my nails in some of these pictures) and I had to do two heavier coats to get full coverage. However, since it's dominantly glitter, I was pleased to see it still dried fast. I used my Seche Vite for a top coat and it couldn't quite smooth out the glitter completely so I may have to do two coats of that next time.

| Julep Dana | $11.20 (Maven price)

Dana is a creamy white with electric blue shimmer that reacts in black light. This girl is impressively opaque! I wasn't sure what to expect, but two coats gives full coverage which can be hard to find with a white polish. Unfortunately the blue isn't as obvious once it's on nails. However, it does allow this white polish to look less chalky like some whites can and you can see it in the sun or natural light. I haven't tried out the "black light reactive" aspect yet. In the pictures online it looks like it glows really well so I'm excited!

That's everything I got this month, except for the bonus candy corn. I've already worn both of the nail polishes and I'm going to be trying out the chevrons and cats soon!
Here's a link to the free fall-themed welcome box (limited time!) and also the Julep website.
Thanks for reading! xo